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Always leave a good tip!
Tipping your bartender is extremely important. Typically, bartenders make minimum wage. Washington State's minimum wage is high at $8.55 an hour, but that is definitely not enough to survive. Thus, we bartenders rely on those tips to make a decent living.
There is a "One dollar per drink" unwritten rule. However, tipping based on percentage is more appropriate, especially since drinks can be in the double digits. It's always best for a bartender to make about twenty percent of their sales from that day off tips. So, if you have a martini that's thirteen dollars, tipping at least two or three is ideal.
There is the factor of service. If you have received adequate service, it's best to leave about eighteen percent of your total bill for a tip. If you have received excellent service, go for about twenty-five or thirty percent so the bartender knows how well they did. If you have received poor or substandard service, still leave at least ten to fifteen percent. There are many factors to why service wasn't perfect and most of the time it's not the bartender's fault. Or, people have bad days. We're all human, after all, so don't jip on the tip. If you do, don't expect to ever get great service at that establishment again. And word gets around fast amongst all bartenders and we all look out for one another, so you could get black listed from a plethora of bars from one bad tip.
Never tip change. It's insulting and bartenders almost never use change. The only acceptable time to leave change as a tip is when tax is included and makes an odd coin amount when you are paying with cash. Therefore, you should leave whatever tip you would have then an extra dollar for that change. It's best to see the coin amount as a dollar, even if it's only a few cents. Always go over than under, so the bartender doesn't have to compensate their tip. When it comes to credit card transactions, never round your tab to the dollar with tips for all the same reasons. We bartenders fear change, so please, leave it at home!
The gift of gratuity allows you to say "Thanks" for your bartender providing the service of company and a good drink. Always remember to tip your bartender and all will be good!
Comments
Tipping is out of control! 25-30%, so what now - i am supposed to submit to extortion if i want to meet some friends for a drink nowadays? is it any more taxing to make a $15 cocktail then a $5 cocktail. You keep your attitude, I'll keep my money. Extortionist! $1 a drink and/or 20% on a tab is a more than appropriate tip. When did this start that ever bartender should expect to go home with $500 in their pockets?
GTFOHWTB
Let me see if I got all these rules right: 15% for bad service, 18% for decent service, 25-30% for great service, don't leave change, if the service is bad it's not the bartender's fault (that's a good one)...oh, and if we don't tip what you want, the secret society of bartenders will blacklist us. LOL It ain't rocket science; you're just schlepping drinks onto the bar. I have a few unemployed friends that would be glad to tend bar for $1 a drink. Wake up!
There is a tactful, coherent, professional manner in which to respond. However, that is obviously not the case here. Everything is a matter of opinion and interpretation. And, everyone is certainly entitled to his or hers. However, if one wants a comment to be taken in the least bit seriously, a little articulation goes a long way. I’ll tip, for example, $2 on an $8 drink. I tend not to think of it in terms of percentage, which equates to 25% if you calculate it. I see it as the pleasantry returned for the pleasantry received and for allowing me to sit on my behind while one tenders and caters to me while I remain seated in my chosen spot. Does that amount appear high when viewed as the dollar amount? Yes, I think that a 25% tip is an exorbitant amount. Yet, when I give the dollar amount tip on the total, I don’t realize the percentage amount and it doesn’t bother me in the least bit or I wouldn’t have given that amount to begin with. Maybe I learned etiquette and protocol by observation and interrogation. No, I’m not in the bar & restaurant industry. But, being in the accounting service industry, you better believe that I expect something for my services. That is why I believe that paying for a service is essential. Besides, if one doesn’t know proper protocol when in a bar (or restaurant), go to the liquor store, hang out at home and drink yourself into more of a stupor.
I love this recession! Exactly what Seattle needs to flush out people with this extraordinary sense of entitlement. "It's always best for a bartender to make about twenty percent of their sales from that day off tips". Yeah, I'd like to take home 20% of my employer's gross revenue every day too.
As a former bartender, I call BS. This person gives bartenders a bad name by talking about blacklisting someone that is not a "great" tipper. Of course bartenders like to be appreciated and if a regular is a poor tipper, there will likely be some eye-rolling or smirking exchanged between bartenders but blacklisting?? Great service comes solely due to the bartender but poor service is someone else's fault? Ridiculous!! Unless you are getting a complex drink with a TON of effort put into it, $1 per drink is more than fair.
I say we tip the author 0 if/when she serves us. Who's in?
It's always best for a bartender to make about twenty percent of their sales from that day off tips.
I would think it is best for the bartender to be tipped 100%, but what about the customer? It'd be 0%, right?
And on the basic pour-n-serve drinks, really, more than a buck or two per drink?
Why would anyone want to patronize a bar where the staff have attitudes like this hers?
I generally agree with the author here, but I do think it depends a lot on the type of place you go. Someone said it ain't rocket science, and that's true if you are in a dive where the bartender is mostly pouring shots and beers, maybe a gin and tonic every once in a while. If however you're in an upscale cocktail lounge it does take talent and experience to get to that position and there is a big difference between a great cocktail and a poorly mixed one. Not to mention the great deal of intuition, finesse, and patience it takes to deal with drunk people all night, and the speed it takes to provide timely service to all customers. Someone that does all this well should be recognized with a smile and a good tip. You don't have to go to college to be a bartender but you do have to have a lot more skills than a dishwasher, yet bartenders and servers are paid minimum wage for the sole reason that employers know they are making a living wage off their tips. For a lot of us a night of good tippers vs. a night of bad tippers sometimes makes the difference between making rent or not. I don't hesitate to tip 10% for poor service but I also don't hesitate to tip 20% or more for awesome service. You may want to also consider the level of business when you order--if it's really slow it's always nice to get a fat tip since they're probably not going to make that much at the end of the day, especially if they spend extra time taking care of you since they're not really busy. Also if it's extremely busy and you can see that the bartender is working really hard and pulling it off well, that's something to consider too cuz there's a lot of bad bartenders out there that can't work well, fast, and with a smile at the same time, so the ones that can should be appreciated for it. Those are just some of my thoughts and I'd love to hear what ya'll think of them.
I bartend in LA. There's no such thing as blacklisting a customer for a bad tip. The owners don't care if the customer tips or not just as long as he/she spends money in the bar. They're not going to refuse entry because he/she didn't tip the bartender. Are you new to bartending?
OMG. I am a bartender and have tended bar for the better part of 12 years. I completely agree with everyone who states this chick gives every bartender a bad name. So if I'm pouring a Chimay, which costs 10, I deserve more than if I pour a Bud, which costs 3? If you get great service, tip well.
The only thing she didn't address, which would entitle her to even more cash for no additional responsibility - is tipping on discounts or bar-buys. If the bartender buys your drink, or if you bring a coupon for free bevs/food - tip on what the bill should have cost, not 15 - 20% of the actual cost.
And, you are siting at a bar - you know if the bar tender is at fault - she's slammed, she runs out of glasses (typically a bar-back or management issue), be cool and try to understand. I have a feeling the crazy author of the article sits with the hot guy at the end of the bar ignoring her customers then expects 15%. I recommend Seattle find her and tip her nada.
hi tish,
thanks for the laughs. i'm amazed that you think it's necessary to tell me how much to give you for gratuity. good luck in the real world,
-a.
i've rarely seen a bartender making less than 12 drinks an hour (one per 5 minutes).
at a dollar a drink, that's 12 bucks an hour, plus wages, so like equivalent to upper teens an hour. that's what i'm making with 4 years of college, how long did bartending school take you? and you want a lot more than a dollar a drink?
greedy bitch...
Its really time to get rid of this social extortion called tipping. Have it included in the price and then we can decide which bars and restaurants serve us well and which do not.
Um....$13 for a martini, no matter how big and cosmopolitan the city you're drinking it in, is just ridiculous, but that's beside the point.
Being an ex-waitress AND an ex-bartender, I tip around 20 percent. If the service is memorable (in a good way) I'll tip 25. If I know the bartender or server, or if they take extra special care of me, I'll tip more -- at my discretion.
If the service is bad (e.g., the server is lazy, ignores me, doesn't pay attention or has an attitude), I'll say so, and I won't tip them. If the meal is bad, then I'll ask to speak to the manager and I won't penalize the server by not tipping him/her.
If a bartender can't make a decent drink, then he or she is in the wrong occupation. If a food server gets a bit busy or is having a bad night, I sympathize and pad the tip because I've been there.
When I worked in the bar and restaurant business, I LOVED change. It was a fantastic way to save money.
The author of this post thinks she's entitled to dictate what her tips should be, and seems to be unconcerned with the caliber of work she performs. I hope I never have to be subjected to her waiting on me.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.... That's hilarious!
Hey, I just noticed the date... you posted too early. You missed April Fools.
You have delusions of grandeur and ought to be fired. Please post where you work as a bartender so I can show up, order drinks, not tip, not get served by you, complaint to the management and have you fired for your attitude.
Let me add my voice to those who work in the bar industry and think the author is way, way, way off base for all the reasons mentioned. And let me add one more thought:
If you're going to spill pixels bemoaning the plight of anyone then why not speak up for cocktail waitresses? They work just as hard, if not harder, than the barstaff; have to deal with being bumped, groped, and spilled on by patrons; and are much more likely to get stiffed than a bartender.
At our joint (in Seattle, incidentally) it's so bad we ask the hand stamp and coat check folks to cheerfully say "please remember to tip your cocktailer" to all customers.
Here's my tip: If you're having a bad day and you're not mature enough to leave it at the door, then take the day off. Most people go out to have a good time and not to have it ruined by a cranky bartender.
Ummm...I wrote an article on tipping too. Sorry Tish, but it's nothing like yours.
www.examiner.com/x-6123-LA-Bartender-Examiner
tipping is a goodwill gesture that is ONLY at the free dicretio of the customer. it is neither a must nor a rule. as bartender you are payed by your boss to do your job fast, right and nice. the customer is paying your drink and a good part of your wage by making revenue. any extra tipps are payed only if you can prove that you are beyond and above of a simply " beer & liquier poorer", when you prove that you deserve it. if the customer has no eyes for your service and won't tipp you off: it calls bad luck or YOU are doing something wrong (running out of drinks or glasses) wich is none of his business. So just drop this communiste attitude that people who walk in with money at the bar HAVE to share it with you only because you are poorly payed by your boss.
1.Yes, tips factor into my income... minimum wage for someone making tips is 3.90 an hour in IL (which I have worked for bars that paid that amount.) Luckily I am paid slightly more than that hourly. 2. If I am having a bad day I leave it at the door when I walk in. When I go out I don't want to listen to someone whining over my good time about their crappy day, or sharing their attitude with me. Not my fault. Same with tipping above and beyond as a customer if a bar is having a slow night. It's not the customer's fault... should I have brought 20 of my friends with me to pay your rent? Maybe your bar is slow for a reason. 3. And lastly, when I hang out with my fellow bartenders from around the area after work, I go drink, maybe laugh about bad customers but we have more fun things to do than try to describe people to each other to blacklist. (Am I supposed to be taking pictures or something?)
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